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Thursday, August 11, 2011

A flag conveying symbolism associated with Anonymous. The imagery of the "suit without a head" represents leaderless organization and anonymity.

Anonymous (used as a mass noun) is a group initiating active civil disobedience and spread through the Internet while staying hidden, originating in 2003 on the imageboard 4chan, representing the concept of many online community users simultaneously existing as an anarchic, digitized global brain. It is also generally considered to be a blanket term for members of certain Internet subcultures, a way to refer to the actions of people in an environment where their actual identities are not known.

In its early form, the concept has been adopted by a decentralized online community acting anonymously in a coordinated manner, usually toward a loosely self-agreed goal, and primarily focused on entertainment. Beginning with 2008, the Anonymous collective has become increasingly associated with collaborative, international hacktivism, undertaking protests and other actions, often with the goal of promoting internet freedom and freedom of speech. Actions credited to "Anonymous" are undertaken by unidentified individuals who apply the Anonymous label to themselves as attribution.

Although not necessarily tied to a single online entity, many websites are strongly associated with Anonymous. This includes notable imageboards such as 4chan, Futaba, their associated wikis, Encyclopædia Dramatica, and a number of forums. After a series of controversial, widely-publicized protests and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks by Anonymous in 2008, incidents linked to its cadre members have increased. In consideration of its capabilities, Anonymous has been posited by CNN to be one of the three major successors to WikiLeaks.

Background

Origins as a concept and a meme
An anonymous figure cosplays as Anonymous. Photographed at ROFLcon on April 26, 2008

The name Anonymous itself is inspired by the perceived anonymity under which users post images and comments on the Internet. Usage of the term Anonymous in the sense of a shared identity began on imageboards. A tag of Anonymous is assigned to visitors who leave comments without identifying the originator of the posted content. Users of imageboards sometimes jokingly acted as if Anonymous were a real person. As the popularity of imageboards increased, the idea of Anonymous as a collective of unnamed individuals became an internet meme.
Anonymous broadly represents the concept of any and all people as an unnamed collective. As a multiple-use name, individuals who share in the "Anonymous" moniker also adopt a shared online identity, characterized as hedonistic and uninhibited. This is intended as a satirical, conscious adoption of the online disinhibition effect.

“ We [Anonymous] just happen to be a group of people on the internet who need — just kind of an outlet to do as we wish, that we wouldn't be able to do in regular society. ...That's more or less the point of it. Do as you wish. ... There's a common phrase: 'we are doing it for the lulz.' ”

Definitions tend to emphasize the fact that the concept, and by extension the collective of users, cannot be readily encompassed by a simple definition. Instead it is often defined by aphorisms describing perceived qualities. One self-description is:

Motto:

We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.

As a cyberculture, Anonymous aesthetics are based in various forms of shock humor, including genres of cringe, surreal, and black comedy
Online composition
“ [Anonymous is] the first Internet-based superconsciousness. Anonymous is a group, in the sense that a flock of birds is a group. How do you know they're a group? Because they're traveling in the same direction. At any given moment, more birds could join, leave, peel off in another direction entirely. ”

—Chris Landers. Baltimore City Paper, April 2, 2008.

Anonymous consists largely of users from multiple imageboards and Internet forums. In addition, several wikis and Internet Relay Chat networks are maintained to overcome the limitations of traditional imageboards. These modes of communication are the means by which Anonymous protesters participating in Project Chanology communicate and organize upcoming protests.

A "loose coalition of Internet denizens," the group is banded together by the Internet, through sites such as 4chan, 711chan,Encyclopædia Dramatica,IRC channels, and YouTube. Social networking services, such as Facebook, are used for the creation of groups which reach out to people to mobilize in real-world protests.

Anonymous has no leader or controlling party and relies on the collective power of its individual participants acting in such a way that the net effect benefits the group. "Anyone who wants to can be Anonymous and work toward a set of goals..." a member of Anonymous explained to the Baltimore City Paper. "We have this agenda that we all agree on and we all coordinate and act, but all act independently toward it, without any want for recognition. We just want to get something that we feel is important done..."
Membership
Wiki letter w cropped.svg This section requires expansion with:
information on revealed or former members (Gregg Housh, Barrett Brown, etc).

According to self-ascribed members of Anonymous, membership is conditional but easily achieved, being as simple as concealing oneself while performing online activities. Conversely, the simple act of having one's identity revealed automatically removes oneself from the group. Several members or former members have been interviewed or become noted for their own participation in certain Anonymous activities.

In 2011, an elusive hacker known by the alias "Commander X" was at the center of an investigation into Anonymous by Aaron Barr. Interviewed following the attack on HBGary Federal, Commander X revealed that while Barr suspected that he was a leader of the group, he was in his own words a "peon". However, Commander X did claim to be a skilled hacker and founding member of an allied organization, the Peoples Liberation Front (PLF), a collective of hactivists founded in 1985. According to Commander X, Peoples Liberation Front acted with AnonOps, another sub-group of Anonymous, to carry out denial-of-service attacks against government websites in Tunisia, Iran, Egypt, and Bahrain. Asked about the demographics of Anonymous, Commander X indicated that the common conception of Anonymous as a youth group is a misconception. "The popular impression is....skewed. There are older people, from the direction of the Chaos Computer Club – that can if needed rein in the "kids" who appear to dominate Anon Ops." Explaining the relationship between Anonymous and the PLF, he suggested an analogy to NATO, with the PLF being a smaller sub-group that could choose to opt-in or out of a specific project. "Anon Ops and the PLF are both capable of creating huge "Internet armies". The main difference is Anon Ops moves with huge force, but very slowly because of their decision making process. The PLF moves with great speed, like a scalpel."

'Anonymous' has set November 5th, 2011 as the date to destroy Facebook, which in Britain is celebrated as Guy Fawkes Day, a commemoration of the Gunpowder Plot in which Fawkes placed explosives in the House of Lords in 1605.

Below is the video released by 'Anonymous' explaining why it wants to take down Facebook.

The speaker in the video, invites people to join the cause and kill Facebook for the sake of protecting their own privacy.

"If you are a willing hacktivist or a guy who just wants to protect the freedom of information then join the cause and kill Facebook for the sake of your own privacy," the speaker added.

Mentioning privacy concerns and Facebook's ability to store and sell personal information about its users, the group said, "Everything you do on Facebook stays on Facebook regardless of your 'privacy' settings, and deleting your account is impossible."

The video claims the social networking site has violated the principles of online privacy and declared Facebook as the resident sinner in the eye of the AntiSec movement.

"Facebook has been selling information to government agencies and giving clandestine access to information security firms so that they can spy on people from around the world," 'Anonymous' said.

Yercaud, at a top of 1515 metres, is located inside the Shevaroy Hills of Tamil Nadu. A serene small hill city, Yercaud is located around the Eastern Ghats and promises a distinctive encounter because of its uncommon topography. Yercaud has a very pleasant climate. Yercaud is considered to be a poor man’s Ooty, as it is less expensive place than Ootacamund.

Owing of its picturesque scenic beauty and greenery, Yercaud is now gaining popularity as a favorite tourist spot among locals as well as foreigners. In Tamil language, “Yeri” means lake and “Kaadu” means forest. Yercaud has a lake located at its center and hence the name.

Yercaud is famous for oranges and coffee plantations and it has preserved some of the forests in original condition with several resident species of flora and fauna. The main crop of Yercaud is coffee, but fruits like guava and jackfruit and spices like black pepper, cardamom are also grown as plantation crops. The coffee plants were brought to Yercaud from Africa in 1820 by M. D. Cockburn.

Major Tourist Attraction in Yercaud Yercaud Lake : The Yercaud Lake with a picturesque pool surrounded by gardens and well-wooded trees are the very first issues that catches the attention of vacationers. The water is chilly and plea sing and it leaves you refreshed to your deepest self. The garden surrounding the lake is well groomed and very best seen throughout the month of May well once the Summer Festival is organized. Get pleasure from a scintillating boat journey within the lake, which is amidst one of the most breathtaking gardens and trees.

Lady’s Seat : Lady’s seat is identify offered to a cluster of rocks about the south west facet of Yercaud. There is a steep drop of about 200 ft below from this point. One will get a panoramic see of distant Salem as well as the winding road up. It certainly is really a breath-taking view. The watch is spectacular especially in the night using the twinkling lights of Salem town in sight.

Killiyur Falls : The Killiyur waterfall is situated at a distance of about three km in the Yercaud Lake. The perfect time for you to go to the waterfall is instantly soon after the monsoons. The water comes by way of a stream all of the way in the Massive Lake. The water arrives via a stream all of the way from your Major Lake.

Pagoda point : or pyramid point is a viewpoint located on the eastern part of Yercaud hills. This has four piles of stones arranged so as to form a pyramid shape. It is said to be built by the local tribes and now there is a Rama temple located between the piles of stones.

One can get a thorough view of the town of Salem and a little village called Kakambadi from this hill. The cliffs in this area look really beautiful especially in early mornings or evenings and spending some time in this point itself is refreshing to the body and mind.

Bear’s Cave : Situated near the Yercaud’s oldest bungalow, Norton Bungalow, Bear’ s Cave is shaped by two large boulders and lies in the method to Servaroyan Temple. The cave is about 7 ft beneath the floor stage and is stated to extend beyond the Servaroyan temple till Kaveri within the state of Karnataka which is about 485 Km away.

The Servarayan Temple : Situated in the highest level in Shevaroy hills, the Servaroyan temple is often a superbly carved cave temple. This temple is famous for the festival, which is organized right here from the nearby tribes within the month of Might. The temple is often a narrow and dark cave possessing the God Servarayan as well as the Goddess Kaveri within, which the Shevaroy Hills and also the Cauvery River.

Silk Farm : One of the places of interest in Yercaud is the silk farm. The silk farm is located very near to the Lady’s seat. Visiting the silk farm will be a memorable and knowledgeable experience especially to the children.

In the silk farm one can see how the silk worms are reared, how they are fed on mulberry leaves and how the cocoons are used for spinning the silk threads etc. The life cycle of silk worm and methods of spinning silk can be understood by visiting this place.

The Grange : The Grange is one of the oldest buildings in Yercaud, built in 1820′s by the then District Collector of Salem, M D Cockburn.

Anna Park : Another important place of visit in Yercaud is the Anna Park which is located near the lake. This park has a collection of the natural species of plants and trees seen around Shevaroy hills. Flower shows are conducted in this park during summer months. There is a breathtaking Japanese garden inside this park in which plants are grown in Japanese style. Children can enjoy playing in the garden. It is a well maintained garden and is worth a visit.

Small Lake : Small Lake is located incredibly shut to city, which is well-known for being fed by 7 wells. A road bound the lake and in direction of 1 end from the lake is Montfort School and in the direction of the opposite finish will be the town.

Activities in Yercaud
Yercaud has a much laid back atmosphere. Everything seems to move in slow motion here that entices you to just relax and do absolutely nothing. You can while away the hours walking along little trodden paths and sauntering through the forests, relaxing in grassy woods or boating on the placid lake. You can go trekking through the numerous trails in the wooded areas. There are quite a few caves and if you are game enough, try exploring them.

Yercaud Accommodations:

The hotels in Yercaud range from luxury hotels to budget rooms to cottages. The luxury hotels are situated in some breathtaking spots. They have facilities such as spas, swimming pools, recreational centers and bars. The views from these luxury hotels are pretty exciting. They could charge you Rs 3,000 per night. The midrange hotels suit many tourists. Their 24 hour travel desks help the tourists plan a great holiday. Air conditioning is not necessary, given Yercaud’s pleasant climate.
Yercaud maybe called poorman's Ooty but the range of hotels caters to a decent enough standard with Hotels.

They are usually cheap and cost in the range of Rs 800-1,000. You will also find budget hotels throughout in this hill station. Rooms here will cost around Rs 500-600 for a night. These hotels have good facilities and will fit the bill for many tourists. Booking rooms in advance throughout the year is recommended.

It’s a fashion shoot that was published several months ago in France, but the provocative shots of 10-year-old French model Thylane Loubry Blondeau in French Vogue are continuing to garner press attention and criticism in the UK and US after they were used in a discussion about pre-teen sexualisation on the Good Morning America show last week.

The shoot, which appears in the Tom Ford edited December 2010 edition of French Vogue, features young children, including 10-year-old Thylane, in slinky heels and low-cut designer dresses, dripping in expensive gold jewellery, reclining on tiger-skins and a chaise lounge. This has left many questioning the tastefulness of the shoot, with some condemning the images as indecent.

Thylane’s mother inititally spoke out to defend the shoot but has since only further highlighted the issue at hand, by stating on Facebook that she wants to protect her daughter from this scandal, as ‘she’s so young’, before closing her Facebook page down earlier this week.

The military's latest test of the fastest aircraft ever built ended Thursday with the hypersonic vehicle crashing into the Pacific Ocean, although officials said they were able to gather "unique data" that will guide the development effort.

The Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 was launched aboard a rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles, early Thursday. The launch vehicle was able to push the Falcon into the desired trajectory.

At that point, and after collecting nine minutes of data, the signal to the Falcon was lost, and it apparently crashed into the ocean. A statement from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is developing the aircraft, said the launching, separation and initial trajectory achieved by the vehicle could be viewed as important successes, despite the modest flight time
The goal is an aircraft that can fly at 13,000 mph - enduring temperatures in excess of 3,500 degrees - and is able to hit targets anywhere in the world in under an hour.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

No longer a legal tender: The road has finally come to an end for the humble 25 paise coin. The Reserve Bank of India is withdrawing from circulation coins of 25 paise and below from June 30, 2011. Coins of denomination of 25 paise and below will not be accepted for exchange at the bank branches from July 1, 2011 onwards. We trace the history of the 25 paise coin from the British era to contemporary India.

1830s: The first of the quarter rupee coins were issued in India during the reign of William IV. The coins were made of silver.

1840s: The longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria also held the title of the Empress of India. During her reign a number of quarter rupee coins were issued. Soon after her ascent to the throne, a silver quarter rupee coin was issued in India. The coins featured the bust of a young Queen Victoria. She was made the queen soon after her 18th birthday

1870s: The coins issued later in Queen Victoria's reign had a more mature looking bust of the queen. The one-fourth rupee coins were made of silver.

1890s: While Queen Victoria was adding to her years in real life, she also put in a bit of weight on the her image on the coins.

1900s: The new century also witnessed a change on the British monarchy. Following the death of his mother Queen Victoria, Edward VII was crowned as the King of the United Kingdom and also as the Emperor of India. All new coins issued during the time bore his name and face.

1910s: A new design of coins were introduced in 1919 that sought to replace the existing silver quarter rupee coins. The new equivalent of the quarter rupee coin was the 4 aana coin, that was made from cupro-nickel instead of silver. The rising silver prices following the First World War necessitated this change. These coins had the effigy of King George V.

1920s: George V was crowned the King in 1910. He was also the first reigning British Monarch to tour India. The 4 aana coins introduced in 1919 didn't gain popularity and soon the quarter rupee coins had to be brought back.

1930s: King George VI was the last of the British monarchs to rule over India. His predecessor Edward VIII abdicated the throne in order to marry divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. There were no coins issued for Edward VIII. While coins of other denominations went for a design change, the quarter rupee coins continued, with only a new monarch replacing the old.

Early 1950s: Following the Independence of India the currency system continued with the British series of coins till the establishment of the Indian Republic. The first coins of independent India were introduced on August 15, 1950 and it included the quarter rupee coin made of nickel. The coins had the words 'char aana' embossed in Devnagri script and had the Ashoka Emblem on one side.

Late 1950s: Another major landmark in the history of the 25 paise coin happened following the introduction of the decimal series in accordance with the Indian Coinage Act that came into force from April 1, 1957. The 19 mm 25 paise coins were called '25 naye paise'. The tern 'naye paise' was used for wider public recognition of the new coinage system and was discontinued from June 1, 1964 when the term 'naye' was dropped. The coins weighed 5 grams and were made of nickel.

1970s: By the late 1960s, Indians had become used to the new coinage system. The text 'rupaiye ka chautha bhag' (one fourth of a rupee) was also replaced by 25 paise. While other coins of lower denominations underwent a major change and moved to aluminium, the 25 paise coin didn't change much.

Late 1980s to the 2000s: In 1988 the 25 paisa coin went steel and was made of ferratic stainless steel. It was a little heavier than its predecessor at 2.83 grams but was of the same size. The last 25 paise coins seen in popular circulation were minted in the year 2002.

A new symbol: In July 2010 the Government of India unveiled the new symbol for the Indian Rupee and designer D Udaya Kumar also designed a new symbol for the paise. But with the 25 paise going out of circulation we are unlikely to see the image above anywhere